Opposing views such as these, especially where no real skill to meet such a situation existed, could only spellgreater difficulty and even eventual1 disaster unless chance in some form should aid. And chance did not aid. Andthe presence of Roberta in the factory was something that would not permit him to dismiss it from his mind. Ifonly he could persuade her to leave and go somewhere else to live and work so that he should not always see her,he might then think more calmly. For with her asking continuously, by her presence if no more, what he intendedto do, it was impossible for him to think. And the fact that he no longer cared for her as he had, tended to reducehis normal consideration of what was her due. He was too infatuated with, and hence disarranged by his thoughtsof Sondra.
For in the very teeth of this grave dilemma2 he continued to pursue the enticing3 dream in connection withSondra--the dark situation in connection with Roberta seeming no more at moments than a dark cloud whichshadowed this other. And hence nightly, or as often as the exigencies4 of his still unbroken connection withRoberta would permit, he was availing himself of such opportunities as his flourishing connections nowafforded. Now, and to his great pride and satisfaction, it was a dinner at the Harriets' or Taylors' to which he wasinvited; or a party at the Finchleys' or the Cranstons', to which he would either escort Sondra or be animated5 bythe hope of encountering her. And now, also without so many of the former phases or attempts at subterfuge6, which had previously7 characterized her curiosity in regard to him, she was at times openly seeking him out andmaking opportunities for social contact. And, of course, these contacts being identical with this typical kind ofgroup gathering8, they seemed to have no special significance with the more conservative elders.
For although Mrs. Finchley, who was of an especially shrewd and discerning turn socially, had at first beendubious over the attentions being showered upon Clyde by her daughter and others, still observing that Clydewas more and more being entertained, not only in her own home by the group of which her daughter was a part,but elsewhere, everywhere, was at last inclined to imagine that he must be more solidly placed in this world thanshe had heard, and later to ask her son and even Sondra concerning him. But receiving from Sondra only theequivocal information that, since he was Gil and Bella Griffiths' cousin, and was being taken up by everybodybecause he was so charming--even if he didn't have any money--she couldn't see why she and Stuart should notbe allowed to entertain him also, her mother rested on that for the time being--only cautioning her daughter underno circumstances to become too friendly. And Sondra, realizing that in part her mother was right, yet being sodrawn to Clyde was now determined9 to deceive her, at least to the extent of being as clandestinely10 free withClyde as she could contrive11. And was, so much so that every one who was privy12 to the intimate contacts betweenClyde and Sondra might have reported that the actual understanding between them was assuming an intensitywhich most certainly would have shocked the elder Finchleys, could they have known. For apart from whatClyde had been, and still was dreaming in regard to her, Sondra was truly being taken with thoughts and moodsin regard to him which were fast verging13 upon the most destroying aspects of the very profound chemistry oflove. Indeed, in addition to handclasps, kisses and looks of intense admiration14 always bestowed15 whenpresumably no one was looking, there were those nebulous and yet strengthening and lengthening16 fantasiesconcerning a future which in some way or other, not clear to either as yet, was still always to include each other.
Summer days perhaps, and that soon, in which he and she would be in a canoe at Twelfth Lake, the longshadows of the trees on the bank lengthening over the silvery water, the wind rippling17 the surface while hepaddled and she idled and tortured him with hints of the future; a certain forest path, grass-sodden and sun-mottled to the south and west of the Cranston and Phant estates, near theirs, through which they might canter inJune and July to a wonderful view known as Inspiration Point some seven miles west; the country fair at Sharon,at which, in a gypsy costume, the essence of romance itself, she would superintend a booth, or, in her smartestriding habit, give an exhibition of her horsemanship--teas, dances in the afternoon and in the moonlight at which,languishing in his arms, their eyes would speak.
None of the compulsion of the practical. None of the inhibitions which the dominance and possible futureopposition of her parents might imply. Just love and summer, and idyllic18 and happy progress toward an eventualsecure and unopposed union which should give him to her forever.
And in the meantime, in so far as Roberta was concerned, two more long, dreary19, terrifying months going bywithout that meditated20 action on her part which must result once it was taken in Clyde's undoing21. For, asconvinced as she was that apart from meditating22 and thinking of some way to escape his responsibility, Clydehad no real intention of marrying her, still, like Clyde, she drifted, fearing to act really. For in severalconferences following that in which she had indicated that she expected him to marry her, he had reiterated23, ifvaguely, a veiled threat that in case she appealed to his uncle he would not be compelled to marry her, after all,for he could go elsewhere.
The way he put it was that unless left undisturbed in his present situation he would be in no position to marry herand furthermore could not possibly do anything to aid her at the coming time when most of all she would standin need of aid--a hint which caused Roberta to reflect on a hitherto not fully24 developed vein25 of hardness in Clyde,although had she but sufficiently26 reflected, it had shown itself at the time that he compelled her to admit him toher room.
In addition and because she was doing nothing and yet he feared that at any moment she might, he shifted in partat least from the attitude of complete indifference27, which had availed him up to the time that she had threatenedhim, to one of at least simulated interest and good-will and friendship. For the very precarious28 condition in whichhe found himself was sufficiently terrifying to evoke29 more diplomacy30 than ever before had characterized him.
Besides he was foolish enough to hope, if not exactly believe, that by once more conducting himself as though hestill entertained a lively sense of the problem that afflicted31 her and that he was willing, in case no other way wasfound, to eventually marry her (though he could never definitely be persuaded to commit himself as to this), hecould reduce her determination to compel him to act soon at least to a minimum, and so leave him more time inwhich to exhaust every possibility of escape without marriage, and without being compelled to run away.
And although Roberta sensed the basis of this sudden shift, still she was so utterly32 alone and distrait33 that she waswilling to give ear to Clyde's mock genial34, if not exactly affectionate observations and suggestions. It caused her,at his behest, to wait a while longer, the while, as he now explained, he would not only have saved up somemoney, but devised some plan in connection with his work which would permit him to leave for a time anyhow,marry her somewhere and then establish her and the baby as a lawful35 married woman somewhere else, while,although he did not explain this just now, he returned to Lycurgus and sent her such aid as he could. But oncondition, of course, that never anywhere, unless he gave her permission, must she assert that he had married her,or point to him in any way as the father of her child. Also it was understood that she, as she herself had assertedover and over that she would, if only he would do this--marry her--take steps to free herself on the ground ofdesertion, or something, in some place sufficiently removed from Lycurgus for no one to hear. And that within areasonable time after her marriage to him, although he was not at all satisfied that, assuming that he did marryher, she would.
But Clyde, of course, was insincere in regard to all his overtures36 at this time, and really not concerned as to hersincerity or insincerity. Nor did he have any intention of leaving Lycurgus even for the moderate length of timethat her present extrication37 would require unless he had to. For that meant that he would be separated fromSondra, and such absence, for whatever period, would most definitely interfere38 with his plans. And so, on thecontrary, he drifted--thinking most idly at times of some possible fake or mock marriage such as he had seen insome melodramatic movie--a fake minister and witnesses combining to deceive some simple country girl such asRoberta was not, but at such expense of time, resources, courage and subtlety39 as Clyde himself, after a littlereflection, was wise enough to see was beyond him.
Again, knowing that, unless some hitherto unforeseen aid should eventuate, he was heading straight toward adisaster which could not much longer be obviated40, he even allowed himself to dream that, once the fatal hourwas at hand and Roberta, no longer to be put off by any form of subterfuge, was about to expose him, he mighteven flatly deny that he had ever held any such relationship with her as then she would be charging--rather that atall times his relationship with her had been that of a department manager to employee--no more. Terror--no less!
But at the same time, early in May, when Roberta, because of various gestative signs and ailments41, wasbeginning to explain, as well as insist, to Clyde that by no stretch of the imagination or courage could she beexpected to retain her position at the factory or work later than June first, because by then the likelihood of thegirls there beginning to notice something, would be too great for her to endure, Sondra was beginning to explainthat not so much later than the fourth or fifth of June she and her mother and Stuart, together with some servants,would be going to their new lodge42 at Twelfth Lake in order to supervise certain installations then being madebefore the regular season should begin. And after that, not later than the eighteenth, at which time the Cranstons,Harriets, and some others would have arrived, including very likely visits from Bella and Myra, he might expecta week-end invitation from the Cranstons, with whom, through Bertine, she would arrange as to this. And afterthat, the general circumstances proving fairly propitious43, there would be, of course, other week-end invitations tothe Harriets', Phants' and some others who dwelt there, as well as to the Griffiths' at Greenwood, to which place,on account of Bella, he could easily come. And during his two weeks' vacation in July, he could either stop at theCasino, which was at Pine Point, or perhaps the Cranstons or Harriets, at her suggestion, might choose to invitehim. At any rate, as Clyde could see, and with no more than such expenditures44 as, with a little scrimping duringhis ordinary working days here, he could provide for, he might see not a little of that lake life of which he hadread so much in the local papers, to say nothing of Sondra at one and another of the lodges45, the masters of whichwere not so inimical to his presence and overtures as were Sondra's parents.
For now it was, and for the first time, as she proceeded to explain to him that her mother and father, because ofhis continued and reported attentions to her, were already beginning to talk of an extended European tour whichmight keep her and Stuart and her mother abroad for at least the next two years. But since, at news of this,Clyde's face as well as his spirits darkened, and she herself was sufficiently enmeshed to suffer because of this,she at once added that he must not feel so bad--he must not; things would work out well enough, she knew. Forat the proper time, and unless between then and now, something--her own subtle attack if not her at presentfeverish interest in Clyde--should have worked to alter her mother's viewpoint in regard to him--she might becompelled to take some steps of her own in order to frustrate46 her mother. Just what, she was not willing to say atthis time, although to Clyde's overheated imagination it took the form of an elopement and marriage, whichcould not then be gainsaid47 by her parents whatever they might think. And it was true that in a vague and as yetrepressed way some such thought was beginning to form in Sondra's mind. For, as she now proceeded to explainto Clyde, it was so plain that her mother was attempting to steer48 her in the direction of a purely49 social match--theone with the youth who had been paying her such marked attention the year before. But because of her presentpassion for Clyde, as she now gayly declared, it was not easy to see how she was to be made to comply. "Theonly trouble with me is that I'm not of age yet," she here added briskly and slangily. "They've got me there, ofcourse. But I will be by next October and they can't do very much with me after that, I want to let you know. Ican marry the person I want, I guess. And if I can't do it here, well, there are more ways than one to kill a cat."The thought was like some sweet, disarranging poison to Clyde. It fevered and all but betrayed him mentally. Ifonly--if only--it were not for Roberta now. That terrifying and all but insoluble problem. But for that, and theopposition of Sondra's parents which she was thinking she would be able to overcome, did not heaven itselfawait him? Sondra, Twelfth Lake, society, wealth, her love and beauty. He grew not a little wild in thinking of itall. Once he and she were married, what could Sondra's relatives do? What, but acquiesce50 and take them into theglorious bosom51 of their resplendent home at Lycurgus or provide for them in some other way--he to no doubteventually take some place in connection with the Finchley Electric Sweeper Company. And then would he notbe the equal, if not the superior, of Gilbert Griffiths himself and all those others who originally had ignored him here--joint heir with Stuart to all the Finchley means. And with Sondra as the central or crowning jewel to somuch sudden and such Aladdin-like splendor52.
No thought as to how he was to overcome the time between now and October. No serious consideration of thefact that Roberta then and there was demanding that he marry her. He could put her off, he thought. And yet, atthe same time, he was painfully and nervously53 conscious of the fact that at no period in his life before had hebeen so treacherously54 poised55 at the very brink56 of disaster. It might be his duty as the world would see it--hismother would say so--to at least extricate57 Roberta. But in the case of Esta, who had come to her rescue? Herlover? He had walked off from her without a qualm and she had not died. And why, when Roberta was no worseoff than his sister had been, why should she seek to destroy him in this way? Force him to do something whichwould be little less than social, artistic58, passional or emotional assassination59? And when later, if she would butspare him for this, he could do so much more for her--with Sondra's money of course. He could not and wouldnot let her do this to him. His life would be ruined!
他们两人意见如此对立，而谁都没能耐摆脱眼前困境，如果再得不到某种机缘奥援，自然只能招致更大困难，乃至于最后灾难。偏偏老天爷又不肯帮忙，罗伯达照常天天来工厂上班，所以此事在克莱德心里总是萦绕不去。只要说服她离开这儿，到其他地方工作和生活，不会老是碰到她，也许他就可以更加冷静地进行思考了。可现在她常常在厂里露面，仿佛在不断地催问他究竟打算怎么办，简直使他没法好好思考了。事实上，如今他再也不象过去那样喜欢她了，所以压根儿忘了自己本来就应该关心她。桑德拉简直让他入了迷;只要一想到她，他就不由得神魂颠倒。
克莱德不顾眼前严重困境，还是继续沉醉于追求桑德拉这一迷人的美梦之中……而罗伯达目前凄惨的境遇，他只觉得好象是偶尔掠过一块乌云，遮住了那个迷人的美梦。因此，每到晚上，只要他跟罗伯达藕断丝连的关系许可的话，他还是充分利用如今自己在上流社会熟人多的关系，常常出去交际应酬。这时，他最最扬扬自得的是，哈里特家或是泰勒家请他赴晚宴，还有芬奇利家或是克兰斯顿家有晚会……不是他陪同桑德拉一块儿去，就是因为有希望见到桑德拉而使他心花怒放。如今，桑德拉对待他，再也不象过去那样因对他怀有好奇心而故意施诡计和矫揉造作。她常常光明正大地来找他，或是利用上流社会交际场合跟他见面。因为这些交际活动总是跟她那个圈子里头年轻人连在一起，所以在比较保守的老一辈看来，当然不会发现有什么特别的地方。
固然，芬奇利太太对交际活动特别精明，眼光也特别锐利，一开头对女儿他们一拨人如此垂青克莱德，就觉得有些疑惑。可是，她一看到不仅她自己家里，而且连桑德拉那个圈子里头的人，以至于别的人家，几乎哪儿都是竞相邀请他去赴宴作客，因此，到后来她也认为克莱德在社会上的地位一定比她原先听说过的要稳固得多。最后，她竟然通过她儿子。甚至于桑德拉开始打听有关克莱德的事了。只不过她从桑德拉那里听到的，总是含糊其词，不外乎说他是吉尔。格里菲思和贝拉。格里菲思的堂兄弟，现在几乎谁都乐于跟他交往，因为他这个人长得那么惹人喜爱……尽管他没有什么钱。依她看，她跟斯图尔特完全应该招待他。她母亲听后暂时也就信以为真……只不过嘱咐女儿千万不要跟克莱德太亲近。桑德拉尽管心里明白母亲的话里有些道理，但因如今自己早被克莱德深深地吸引住了，就只好欺骗母亲，少说也要想尽种种办法，偷偷摸摸地同克莱德来往。其实，凡是见到过克莱德和桑德拉之间交往频繁的人，都觉得他们俩那种亲密劲儿早已白热化，芬奇利老夫妇知道的话，肯定会吓一大跳。因为，姑且不说克莱德过去和现在一直对她充满梦想，如今连桑德拉自己，说真的，都被对他的种种眷念和情思所征服，眼看着快要接近神秘。危险。变化莫测的情爱的边缘了。事实上，他们除了在没有人看得见时握手。亲吻。眉来眼去以外，还对未来怀有虽然朦朦胧胧却是日益炽烈的幻想;这些幻想尽管他们俩谁都说不清，终究还是把他们俩紧紧地连在一起。
也许到了夏天……何况转眼就到了……他们俩就会在第十二号湖上驾着一叶扁舟，岸边长长的树影倒映在银色湖面上，微风习习，吹起了阵阵涟漪，这时，他划着桨，她闲卧在他身旁，通过未来的种种暗示折磨着他;也许，在离他们家别墅不远的克兰斯顿家和范特家西南的那条林间小道，路面上覆盖着青青草皮，落满斑斑驳驳的太阳光点，他们可以在六七月间慢慢悠悠地遛着马儿，去观赏离此以西大约七英里的天启岬的奇景;或许他们会去赶沙隆乡村集市，在那儿她全身是吉卜赛女郎的穿着打扮(多么罗曼蒂克!
)，正在照管一个卖货摊位，或是单凭她遛马一向有绝招，露一下她那精湛的技艺……到了午后，喝喝茶。
跳跳舞……而在月光底下，她慵倦无力地躺在他的怀抱里，他们俩是在默不出声地眉目传情哩。
俗世尘虑一点儿都没有。由于她父母的专断与将来可能反对而产生的种种禁忌，也是一点儿都没有。唯独有的是爱情和夏日风光，以及田园牧歌式的。
充满幸福的进程……走向最后无忧无虑的无人反对的结合，使他永远地属于她。
就在这时，从罗伯达这方面来说，漫长的。凄凉的。骇人的两个月已经过去了。尽管她早就想定了，但到这时还是没有走那一步。要是走了这一步，克莱德便一定身败名裂。因为，虽然她也深信，克莱德只是一直在想方设法逃避责任，并不真想跟她结婚，可她如同克莱德一样，也是随大流，害怕采取实际行动。在上回，她对他说过，非得跟她结婚不可，以后，克莱德在好几次谈话中，虽然有些含糊，但是一再威胁说，他怎么也不会跟她结婚的，即使她去他伯父那儿告状，最多他就上别处去呗。
按照他的想法，要是他在莱柯格斯目前情况受到影响，不能保住的话，那他也就没有力量跟她结婚……再说，到了她最需要帮助的时候，他也可能一点儿都帮不了她忙……这一点暗示，促使罗伯达认真考虑了克莱德迄今还没有充分暴露出来的那种残酷性格，其实，她只要仔细想一想，当初逼她放他进房间来时，早就纤毫毕露了。
虽然看到她什么行动都没有，但他还是深怕她随时会真的采取什么行动。
因此，克莱德多少改变了一下自己的态度:
在她尚未向他表示威胁前，他一直对她漠不关心，此刻就要装出少说也有点儿关心。善意和友好的样子。他发现自己处境委实太危险，所以，他就得更要耍弄手腕，比过去可以说有过之无不及。
此外，他还天真地希望(如果说不上是真的相信的话)自己使用软化手段，也许可使罗伯达就范。那就是说，如果他继续佯装对她目前的痛苦依然非常关怀，而且，到最后，如果没有别的出路，他还愿意跟她结婚(虽然事实上他怎么也无法说服自己这样做)，那么，他就可以最大程度地削弱罗伯达逼他马上结婚的决心，他也就可以赢得更多时间，想尽一切办法，既可以不逃婚，又不会逼得自己非从莱柯格斯逃走不可。
罗伯达纵然心里也明白他态度骤变的原因，但她毕竟孤苦无告，心神恍惚，也就乐于倾听克莱德佯装同情而并不是出自真情的一些批评建议。她就这样应他的恳求，答应再等一段时间，在这段时间里，他解释说，他不仅要积攒一点钱，而且还要设法把厂里工作安排好，以便能腾出一些时间来到外地去跟她结婚;他还要把她和小孩安顿好，她到了那里也就成为一个合法地结婚了的女人。
然后，他自己呢，尽管他还没有解释清楚，就回到莱柯格斯来，尽他自己力量寄钱给她，不过，当然有一个条件，就是:
除非得到他的许可，她到哪儿都不准说出他已经跟她结婚，或以任何方式指出他就是她那个小孩的父亲。另外还达成以下谅解(她再三坚决表示照办……只要他跟她结婚)，那就是:
她同意以遗弃或其它理由跟他离异，尽快到离莱柯格斯远一点的地方去，因此这儿任何人都不会知道这件事。而且讲好这事是在她跟他婚后某个合适时间内办，尽管他压根儿不相信她结婚以后会这么做。
克莱德向她作出一切许诺时，当然不是真心诚意的。至于她是不是真心诚意，他压根儿就没有注意过。他完全不想离开莱柯格斯，哪怕是为了让她摆脱目前困境而短时间地离开，除非是迫不得已。因为那就意味着他要跟桑德拉暂时离别，而这种暂时离别，不管时间多久，肯定会大大地有碍自己的计划。因此，他就照旧无所事事……有时还简直无聊透顶，竟然想到何妨来个假结婚。
这种玩意儿……他在某些情节夸张。哄动一时的电影里就见过……一个假牧师，拉上几个假证婚人，满可以哄骗那些头脑简单的乡下姑娘了。可惜罗伯达并不是这一类乡下姑娘，这就得需要花许多时间。金钱。勇气和手腕，克莱德想了一会儿，觉得自己实在没能耐。
他心里也明白，现下他正在走向即将来临的一场不可避免的大灾难，除非出现某种到目前为止尚未看见的援助。有时，他甚至幻想，万一临近关键时刻，罗伯达不再上当，要把他揭发出来，那他大不了就干脆否认自己跟她有过她所指控的这一类关系……还不如说他跟她的关系，自始至终只不过是部门头头对雇工的关系……如此而已，岂有他哉。世上竟有如此可怕的事!
然而就在这时，五月初，罗伯达因为感到自己有孕的各种征兆和症状，言词坚决地向克莱德说明，尽管自己大胆克服，过了六月一日以后，恐怕再也没法去厂里上班了，因为那时厂里女工们很可能有所发觉，使她怎么也受不了。
而偏巧在这个时候，桑德拉却告诉他，说迟至六月四日或五日，她。她母亲。
斯图尔特和一些仆人，得去第十二号湖畔他们家的别墅新筑，看看要在避暑季节开始前完工的一些设施进行得怎么样了。打这以后，最晚不会超过十八日，克兰斯顿家。哈里特家等等，也都会纷纷到达，贝拉和麦拉非常可能也去。届时，克兰斯顿家会邀请他去度周末的，反正这事她会通过伯蒂娜来安排。以后，如果一切顺利的话，哈里特家。范特家，以及住在那儿的其他人家，当然，也会邀请他去度周末。还有格林伍德湖畔格里菲思家，由于贝拉的关系，他也可以随便到那儿去。七月间，他有两周休假，那时，他不妨住到松树岬的夜总会去。要不然，她只要提一提，也许克兰斯顿家。哈里特家都会邀请他去的。反正，克莱德估计，自己用不着花多少钱(这一点钱，只要平时他手紧一些就得了)，他便可以尽情领略一下自己常在报上见到的湖畔别墅生活，更不必说他还可以在这一家或那一家的别墅里见到桑德拉了。何况，这些别墅的东道主对他的光临，并不是象桑德拉的父母那样极不友好。
这时，桑德拉还头一次跟他说，她的父母由于他继续向她大献殷勤表示不满，已经开始谈到将去欧洲作一次长时间的旅行。这就使她。她母亲和斯图尔特有可能在国外至少待上两年。但看见克莱德听到这个消息脸色立刻阴沉情绪立刻低落下来，桑德拉自己也很难过，赶紧找补着说，千万别伤心，千万别伤心呀，她相信最后一定会有好办法的。因为，从现在起到那一天为止的这段时间里，除非有一件什么事……如果说不是她目前对克莱德那种炽烈的热情，那就是她自己出奇制胜的突然进攻……把她母亲对他的态度转变过来……不然的话，在适当的时候她很可能被迫采取措施挫败她母亲。至于哪些措施呢，这时她还不肯说出来，尽管克莱德因为头脑发昏，暗中猜想一定是同他一起私奔和秘密结婚，这么一来，不管她父母对他有什么看法，那时再要否认也否认不了。
事实上，类似这样的想法，也的确在桑德拉心里朦朦胧胧地开始形成，只是一直被她压抑着罢了。接着，她对克莱德开门见山说，问题是她母亲显然很想劝导她，嫁给从前年以来一直向她大献殷勤的一个年轻人，真可以说是地地道道门当户对的一门婚事。她还乐哈哈地说，现在她既然那么爱克莱德，要她答应这门亲事，那可不容易。"现在我难就难在只是岁数还没到，"她一时来了劲儿，就说起大白话来了。"当然罗，他们就拿这来掐住我。可是一到十月份，我岁数就到了。打这以后……我要你明白……他们就是想治我也都治不了。我乐意嫁给谁就嫁给谁，反正我自个儿作主。要是莱柯格斯这儿不行……那好吧，反正有的是办法。"这个主意，对克莱德来说，就象裹上一层糖衣。足以让人精神错乱的毒药，一下子使他头脑发昏了。现在，只要……只要……没有罗伯达的问题就好了!
这个骇人的怎么也解决不了的难题呀。要是没有这个难题，要是桑德拉的父母不反对(桑德拉认为她自己有办法克服)，等着他的岂不是天堂吗?
桑德拉。第十二号湖。上流社会。财富。她的爱情和她迷人的美。他一想到这些，简直如醉似狂了。只要他跟她一结婚，桑德拉的家里人简直一点儿办法都没有。得了吧，只好表示默认，把他们接回来，住进金碧辉煌的莱柯格斯巨邸。要不然还得想法赡养他们呢……毫无疑问，克莱德最后一定会到芬奇利电气吸尘器公司供职。
那时，他岂不是跟吉尔伯特。格里菲思，以及当初所有莱柯格斯瞧不起他的人(如果说不是盖过他们)平起平坐了吗……他将跟斯图尔特一起，成为芬奇利全部财产的继承人。而且还有桑德拉，在这突如其来的犹如《一千零一夜》里阿拉丁所遇到的光辉奇迹之中，是一颗占据中心位置或者说是至高无上的宝石。
他没有想过如何度过从现在起到十月的这段时间，也没有认真思考过罗伯达提出现在要跟他结婚的要求。他心里想，还是可以拖一拖。但是，与此同时，他痛苦不安地意识到:
他一生中还从没有象现在这样危险地濒于灾难的边缘。不管是社会舆论，还是她母亲的意见都认为……也许他有责任至少应该把罗伯达搭救出来。可是爱思达呢，有谁搭救过她呢?
她的情人?
他一点儿不受良心谴责，就把她抛弃了，可她也并没有因此死去。现在罗伯达的遭际并不见得比他的姐姐更坏，干吗她非要把他的一生毁了?
干吗她非要逼他去做从社会。审美。情欲或感情上说简直与自杀毫无二致的这样的事?
要是她这次宽放了他，将来他就可以……当然是在桑德拉的金钱帮助下……给她做更多的事。不，他不可能。也决不会容许她这么对付他的。要不然，他的一生就给毁了!
收听单词发音 |
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eventual
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| adj.最后的，结局的，最终的 | |
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dilemma
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| n.困境，进退两难的局面 | |
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enticing
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| adj.迷人的；诱人的 | |
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exigencies
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| n.急切需要 | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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subterfuge
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| n.诡计；藉口 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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clandestinely
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| adv.秘密地，暗中地 | |
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contrive
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| vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出 | |
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privy
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| adj.私用的；隐密的 | |
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verging
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| 接近，逼近（verge的现在分词形式） | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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lengthening
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| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的现在分词 )； 加长 | |
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rippling
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| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 | |
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idyllic
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| adj.质朴宜人的，田园风光的 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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meditated
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| 深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑 | |
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undoing
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| n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭 | |
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meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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vein
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| n.血管，静脉；叶脉，纹理；情绪；vt.使成脉络 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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evoke
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| vt.唤起，引起，使人想起 | |
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diplomacy
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| n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕 | |
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afflicted
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| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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distrait
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| adj.心不在焉的 | |
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genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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lawful
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| adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的 | |
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overtures
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| n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲 | |
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extrication
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| n.解脱；救出，解脱 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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subtlety
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| n.微妙，敏锐，精巧；微妙之处，细微的区别 | |
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obviated
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| v.避免，消除（贫困、不方便等）( obviate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ailments
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| 疾病（尤指慢性病），不适( ailment的名词复数 ) | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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propitious
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| adj.吉利的；顺利的 | |
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expenditures
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| n.花费( expenditure的名词复数 )；使用；（尤指金钱的）支出额；（精力、时间、材料等的）耗费 | |
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lodges
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| v.存放( lodge的第三人称单数 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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frustrate
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| v.使失望；使沮丧；使厌烦 | |
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gainsaid
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| v.否认，反驳( gainsay的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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acquiesce
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| vi.默许，顺从，同意 | |
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51
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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54
treacherously
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| 背信弃义地； 背叛地； 靠不住地； 危险地 | |
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poised
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| a.摆好姿势不动的 | |
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brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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57
extricate
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| v.拯救，救出；解脱 | |
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58
artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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assassination
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| n.暗杀；暗杀事件 | |
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